Kenny Shiels has victory in heart and mind

KENNY SHIELS is refusing to panic over his winless run as Kilmarnock manager but admits it is starting to niggle him.

Kenny Shiels is refusing to panic over his winless run as Kilmarnock manager []

Killie have not won in nine SPL games since Shiels picked up the managerial reigns from Mixu Paatelainen.

The Rugby Park outfit ended last season with four defeats and four draws and then drew their SPL opener at Dundee United.

Shiels feels it is an unfair statistic because of the number of games they've faced against top six opposition but hopes they'll end this unfortunate run against Motherwell.

Shiels said: "When I came to this club, I wanted to assess the characters of the players and the previous season before we came in Kilmarnock played 18 games against the top six and they won just one of them which was Robbie Keane's first match for Celtic.

"Of my nine games in charge so far, seven have been against the top six and they have been at a period of the season when our small squad have been depleted.

We drew many of those games and we were very close to victories in some of them

Kenny Shiels

"We drew many of those games and we were very close to victories in some of them. I would rather speak about how well the team are playing but not having won a league game niggles away at me.

"I believed in the players even when we were bottom of the SPL last season at Halloween as I could see it and see what they were about as I could see it developing just as I see this situation developing.

"I would like to get a result against Motherwell on Saturday and no doubt if I don't I will get asked the same question again until we do get that first league win under our belts. I want to get that first victory not for my own ego but so that monkey is off the back of the players.

"The players will be reading the papers and seeing that we haven't won yet but I am hopeful that we rectify that soon."

Shiels included trialists Loen Panikvar, Pelayo Gomez and Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo against Sunderland and revealed he wants to make two more signings.